Days of relentless fog transformed the Land of Water's capital into a true city of mist.
Whether blanketing the mountainsides, fields, narrow alleys, or the distant, barely visible Daimyō's Palace, the thick fog draped everything in a heavy protective layer. If you stood on tiptoe, you could almost feel the mist as a tangible substance. Kicking at the mist to disperse it had become a favorite game among children. Against this bleak backdrop, only the occasional sound of conversation reminded you that you hadn't reached the end of the world. Footprints and wheel ruts marked the mud and stone slabs on the ground, tracing fixed paths that stretched slowly forward, eventually leading off into the unknown.
The mist felt gentle yet bitingly cold against the skin. Only those who had lived here for a long time could endure the increasingly uncomfortable weather. Visitors often succumbed to severe illness brought on by the oppressive, damp environment – much like Kakashi was experiencing now.
The cumulative toll of continuous chakra depletion, sleepless nights, constant battles, and the harsh climate of the Land of Water had finally overwhelmed the silver-haired young man, despite his resistance being many times that of an ordinary person. This was the first time since arriving in the Land of Water that he had collapsed uncontrollably.
His lungs burned with every breath, a relentless throbbing pounded inside his head as if stirred by a rod, and his limbs felt heavy and powerless. His body alternated between extreme chills and feverish heat, his lips gradually fading from red to pale white.
Ninja on the run or on missions absolutely could not afford to get sick, especially a missing-nin being actively hunted. Illness meant death, or worse – capture, a fate worse than death itself.
Using the very last dregs of his strength, Kakashi tried to redeem a recovery potion from the [System]. Just after clicking 'confirm,' the last of his chakra was drained by the System. Every cell in his body seemed to cry out in protest as Kakashi's eyes finally rolled back, and he fainted.
When he opened his eyes again, he saw the slightly yellowed ceiling of a hotel room. Outside the window, the sky was already dark. His body still felt incredibly heavy, and a sudden wave of discomfort made the silver-haired boy feel he'd woken too soon; he should have slept for several more days and nights to recover.
"How long was I out?"
Kakashi tried to push himself up, searching for any water source nearby.
"Not long. A few hours," the orange-haired girl replied, unable to hide the worry in her expression. Though she had only known the boy before her for a few days, they were now utterly reliant on each other. Moreover, he had saved her life; at a time like this, the responsibility of caring for him fell solely on her.
"Is there any water?"
"I'll get it."
Mei quickly poured a cup of hot water, tested the temperature herself, and handed it to Kakashi.
Kakashi took it, propping himself up with one hand on the bed while holding the cup with the other, and shakily drank it all down.
The water soothed his parched throat, trickled into his stomach, and sent a wave of warmth spreading through his limbs.
"My potion, the bottle... did you see it?"
"It's here with me."
Mei held up the green potion bottle, now only half-full. She gently pushed Kakashi back down onto the bed, tucked the blanket around him securely, and placed another pillow underneath to elevate his head.
"Half of it spilled on the floor when you collapsed. That's why there's only this much left."
"Give it to me. I should be better after drinking it."
"Don't move. I can feed it to you."
While Kakashi stared blankly, Mei took a spoon, scooped up some of the potion, and brought it to his lips.
Caught off guard by the sudden intrusion of a cold, metal object into his mouth, Kakashi coughed instinctively, spilling the potion onto the blanket.
"...?"
"Sorry..." Mei apologized softly.
She carefully continued to feed the potion to him, spoonful by spoonful, until the remaining half was gone.
"I'll wipe the blanket," she said.
"Okay."
Watching the girl bustle around, taking care of him, Kakashi fell silent, his mind drifting towards thoughts of training.
The potion didn't seem as effective this time; Kakashi didn't feel any immediate improvement. He wasn't sure if his body had developed a resistance to it, or if the potion was simply less effective against illness and better suited for external injuries. The latter seemed more likely right now.
The aftereffects of severe chakra exhaustion lingered, every cell in his body aching dully. He recalled his future self from the original timeline – the 'Great Kakashi' – who needed ten days to half a month recovering in Konoha Hospital after each use of Kamui. A wry smile touched his lips; it seemed he was still destined to follow that familiar path of pushing his limits.
At least my base chakra is higher this time around.
He mentally activated the [System]. In the bottom-left corner, his personal chakra value had reached 4.1. This confirmed that constant battles, rigorous training, and occasional depletion did help increase his total chakra reserves, but the gains were minimal compared to the cost. There had to be other ways.
While wiping the blanket, Mei noticed Kakashi lift his hand and tap aimlessly at the air, tilting her head curiously.
Kakashi then opened the [Mission Log] tab. The progress bar now read [63/1000]. Just as he thought – those children counted towards his rescue objective.
After observing the interface for a moment longer, he closed the UI, only then realizing Mei was watching him.
"What is it?"
"Nothing..." the girl started, then hesitated, a look of deep pity filling her eyes.
"What's with that look?" Kakashi asked, slightly unnerved.
"It's just... how are you feeling now?"
"I feel okay. A bit better than before."
"You should rest more."
Ignoring Kakashi's protests, Mei bundled him tightly in the blanket to keep him from moving around. Having been busy all day, the girl was exhausted herself. After blowing out the candle, she climbed over Kakashi and onto the bed, settling down on the other side.
Having given her own blanket to him, Mei hugged herself, shivering. The combination of fatigue and the bone-chilling cold was unbearable.
Drifting in a haze between wakefulness and sleep, Mei subconsciously sought warmth, sensing the heat radiating from Kakashi's body and slowly inching closer.
Kakashi, also in an uncomfortable state of half-sleep, suddenly felt an ice-cold presence press against him. His first instinct was to push it away.
Then, he immediately realized it was the girl who had been taking care of him.
He stopped himself, remaining still and allowing her to hold onto him tightly.
As they huddled together for warmth, a slight ripple stirred within the silver-haired boy's heart before the depths of night pulled him back into sleep.
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